17. Diagnosis and Cure

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Hymns: RHC 247 Cleanse Me; 109 Jesus Is All the World to Me; 353 God Will Take Care of You

诗歌：颂主新歌 407 求主察看； 107 耶稣基督是我一切； 87 天父必看顾你

Job 5:17-27

约伯记 5:17-27

17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. 21Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 22At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. 25Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. 27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good. (Job 5:17-27 KJV)

17神所惩治的人是有福的。所以你不可轻看全能者的管教。 18因为他打破，又缠裹。他击伤，用手医治。 19你六次遭难，他必救你。就是七次，灾祸也无法害你。 20在饥荒中，他必救你脱离死亡。在争战中，他必救你脱离刀剑的权力。 21你必被隐藏，不受口舌之害。灾殃临到，你也不惧怕。 22你遇见灾害饥馑，就必嬉笑。地上的野兽，你也不惧怕。 23因为你必与田间的石头立约，田里的野兽也必与你和好。 24你必知道你帐棚平安，要查看你的羊圈，一无所失。 25也必知道你的后裔将来发达，你的子孙像地上的青草。 26你必寿高年迈才归坟墓，好像禾捆到时收藏。 27这理，我们已经考察，本是如此。你须要听，要知道是与自己有益。(Job 5:17-27 CUS)

Diagnosis and Cure

诊断和治愈

OUTLINE

  • A Faulty Diagnosis 错误的诊断(v17-18)
  • A Wrong Cure 错觉的治愈(v19-27)

INTRODUCTION

A man suffering from some unknown ailment consults his physician. The physician was able to make a right diagnosis of his condition, identify the cause and the cure administered healed the sufferer. All is well.

However, when the physician makes a wrong diagnosis and prescribed a wrong treatment that does not cure the ailment, the sufferer continues to suffer. The wrong treatment can worsen the condition of the sufferer.

The cure for the disease of man’s sin is the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. When a person repents of his sins, turns away from his sins and towards Christ, he shall be saved.

8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Rom. 10:8-13 KJV)

罗马书10:8-13 他到底怎麽说呢？他说：这道离你不远，正在你口里，在你心里。就是我们所传信主的道。你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救。因为人心里相信，就可以称义；口里承认，就可以得救。经上说：凡信他的人必不至於羞愧。犹太人和希利尼人并没有分别，因为众人同有一位主；他也厚待一切求告他的人。因为凡求告主名的，就必得救。

There is an ongoing process of sanctification after he is saved when a man daily search his heart and confess his sins before God. This was Job’s life before he was afflicted. He was one who will seek God daily, search his heart and confessing his sins.

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

诗篇139:13-14 我的肺腑是你所造的；我在母腹中，你已覆庇我。我要称谢你，因我受造，奇妙可畏；你的作为奇妙，这是我心深知道的。

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

约翰一书1:9我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。

God did send His prophet to point out the sins of His people as Nathan did to David – 2 Samuel 12:7-10 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

撒母耳记下12:7-10拿单对大卫说：你就是那人！耶和华─ 以色列的　神如此说：我膏你作以色列的王，救你脱离扫罗的手。我将你主人的家业赐给你，将你主人的妻交在你怀里，又将以色列和犹大家赐给你；你若还以为不足，我早就加倍地赐给你。你为甚麽藐视耶和华的命令，行他眼中看为恶的事呢？你借亚扪人的刀杀害赫人乌利亚，又娶了他的妻为妻。你既藐视我，娶了赫人乌利亚的妻为妻，所以刀剑必永不离开你的家。

God’s judgment upon His servant David came true because he did sin against God. David confessed his sin before God and God’s judgment came upon him.

2 Samuel 12:10-14 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

2 Samuel 12:10-14 你既藐视我，娶了赫人乌利亚的妻为妻，所以刀剑必永不离开你的家。耶和华如此说：我必从你家中兴起祸患攻击你；我必在你眼前把你的妃嫔赐给别人，他在日光之下就与他们同寝。你在暗中行这事，我却要在以色列众人面前，日光之下，报应你。大卫对拿单说：我得罪耶和华了！拿单说：耶和华已经除掉你的罪，你必不至於死。只是你行这事，叫耶和华的仇敌大得亵渎的机会，故此，你所得的孩子必定要死。

But Eliphaz, Job’s elderly friend, certainly was not told by God that Job’s affliction was due to his sins. He simply gave his own diagnosis which was faulty and gave his cure. A wrong prescription from a faulty diagnosis. 

Will it help Job? Certainly, not. This episode of Eliphaz conversation in chapter 4-5 ending here in verse 27 provides a good teaching aid to any would-be counsellor. Take care not to misjudge.

  • A Faulty Diagnosis 错误的诊断

17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

17神所惩治的人是有福的。所以你不可轻看全能者的管教。

The text of Eliphaz’s (以利法) words read like the author of Hebrews in chapter 12 (希伯来书 12), when it is said, “5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

希伯来书12:5-6 你们又忘了那劝你们如同劝儿子的话，说：我儿，你不可轻看主的管教，被他责备的时候也不可灰心；因为主所爱的，他必管教，又鞭打凡所收纳的儿子。

 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

希伯来书12:7-10你们所忍受的，是神管教你们，待你们如同待儿子。焉有儿子不被父亲管教的呢？管教原是众子所共受的，你们若不受管教，就是私子，不是儿子了。再者，我们曾有生身的父管教我们，我们尚且敬重他，何况万灵的父，我们岂不更当顺服他得生麽？生身的父都是暂随己意管教我们；惟有万灵的父管教我们，是要我们得益处，使我们在他的圣洁上有分。

 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Heb. 12:5-11 KJV)”

Hebrews 12:11-12 凡管教的事，当时不觉得快乐，反觉得愁苦；後来却为那经练过的人结出平安的果子，就是义。所以，你们要把下垂的手、发酸的腿、挺起来；

Job was asked to confess his sin and make right with God. It seemed so right to Eliphaz to draw such a conclusion but he was mistaken. It would cause great hurt to his friend. He rebuked Job like Nathan confronting David for his sin. 

For David, his conscience was pricked when his sin was pointed out to him. He testified in Psalm 32:3-6 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

诗篇32:3-6 我闭口不认罪的时候，因终日唉哼而骨头枯乾。黑夜白日，你的手在我身上沉重；我的精液耗尽，如同夏天的乾旱。（细拉）我向你陈明我的罪，不隐瞒我的恶。我说：我要向耶和华承认我的过犯，你就赦免我的罪恶。（细拉）为此，凡虔诚人都当趁你可寻找的时候祷告你；大水泛溢的时候，必不能到他那里。

18For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 

18因为他打破，又缠裹。他击伤，用手医治。 

There is cure to the sinner. Although he is tried sore, once he confesses his sin, he finds forgiveness with God. God returns to him a clear conscience.

David found it very difficult to admit that he had done wrong. God didn’t want David to go on feeling miserable, so He faithfully used Nathan to make David be honest about his sin. Numbers 32:23 “…ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” 

Numbers 32:23 倘若你们不这样行，就得罪耶和华，要知道你们的罪必追上你们。

Once David was willing to face what he had done, he was able to confess it to God. God helps us to see where we have sinned, by giving us our conscience, His Word, and people like Nathan to point out our wrong to us. It is only God’s grace that enables us to admit our sin and be willing to turn from it (1 John 1:9). Through Nathan, God was helping David to see what he needed to do.

Silence communicates. Silence here expresses the emotion, attitude of resisting God. Roaring is the human cry of distress. The torment of the heart due to sin can give rise to physical ailments too. The sensation of pain in the bones is used to express depth of anguish and is linked with unforgiven sin and divine judgment. 

David was miserable for a long time Why was he miserable? He had a guilty conscience because he had not confessed his sin. That is the same reason we are unhappy when we sin. But God loves us and wants us to be happy. 

We can tell a person by the health of his/her countenance by looking at the eyes. We will be happy when we have a clear conscience by confessing our sin. David needed help to admit to his sin and deal with it.

Job’s misery was not due to his sin. Although he was afflicted and felt the anguish of his severe trial, his conscience was clear. Eliphaz could not force a confession out of him.

  • A Wrong Cure 错觉的治愈(v19-27)

19He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. 21Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 22At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. 25Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. 27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Job was told that a righteous man will not experience suffering like he did. God will deliver him from all his afflictions. It is not wrong to say that. God is most faithful in caring for His children. A believer’s outward physical condition cannot be a determinant of righteousness before God.

The Apostle Paul described God’s care for him in seeing him through all his afflictions. God was there to comfort and keep him. But he had to endure the afflictions that came upon him as a result of the work of evangelisation that God has called him into.

2 Timothy 3:10-11 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

提摩太后书3:10-11 但你已经服从了我的教训、品行、志向、信心、宽容、爱心、忍耐，以及我在安提阿、以哥念、路司得所遭遇的逼迫，苦难。我所忍受是何等的逼迫；但从这一切苦难中，主都把我救出来了。

Eliphaz was making many baseless presumptions in his assessment of God’s treatment of a righteousness man. Base of his experience, he was painted a picture of a righteous man escaping famine, having long life…

(1) It is here promised that as afflictions and troubles recur supports and deliverances shall be graciously repeated, be it ever so often (v19).

(2) That, when desolating judgments are abroad, they shall be taken under special protection (v20).

  • That, whatever is maliciously said against them, it shall not affect them to do them any hurt (v21).
  • That they shall have a holy security and serenity of mind, arising from their hope and confidence in God, even in the worst of times (v22).

(5) That, being at peace with God, there shall be a covenant of friendship between them and the whole creation (v23).

(6) That their houses and families shall be comfortable to them (v24). 

(7) That their posterity shall be numerous and prosperous. Job had lost all his children; “but,” says Eliphaz, “if thou return to God, he will again build up thy family, and thy seed shall be many and as great as ever, and thy offspring increasing and flourishing as the grass of the earth(v25).

(8) That their death shall be seasonable, and they shall finish their course, at length, with joy and honour, to live to a full age, and not to have the number of our months cut off in the midst (v26-27). [Matthew Henry]

CONCLUSION

May the Lord impart grace to His suffering saints in affliction under the assailing of unmindful, presumptuous, foolishly judgmental individuals. Amen.